Staying competitive in today’s marketplace is challenging. The COVID-19 virus, the strain on the economy and the pressure to push yourself can make it a challenging prospect.

But it doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

Providing high-level customer service, added with some local appeal, can help your small business compete with other local companies. These tips can show you how to stay competitive and stay ahead of your small business competition.

 

Be Open & Accessible To Your Customers

What is the hallmark of a top-quality business? Excellent customer service. And how do you obtain excellent levels of customer service? You make sure that you are open and accessible to your customers when they need you.

Make sure that you have the necessary communication lines open, such as social media platforms, email addresses, and telephone numbers. But more than that, it’s about getting your customers on a personal level so that they can feel connected to your business.

Sometimes, all it takes is a personal interaction with a customer to turn them into a vocal follower. Be open, personable and relatable. It can make all the difference for your business to stay competitive.

 

Make Use of Social Media Platforms

We touched on this before, and we’re going to highlight the point now. Social media is crucial for your competitive advantage, as it provides a platform for you to engage with your audience.

By creating a stream of engagement, you can establish a bond between you and your audience. From announcing product releases to showcasing behind-the-scenes moments, you are opening yourself up to your customers in a meaningful and powerful way.

Better yet, for many small business owners, running their own social media platforms is surprisingly affordable and easy to do. You can just use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and schedule posts through services like Hootsuite.

When the moment comes that you might need professional experience, your business would have grown at that point where it becomes affordable.

Strive To Become a Local Expert in Your Industry

Being visible in your community can go a long way to establishing your business as an expert in the local industry. And being an expert leads to more new local customers and bigger buzz for your brand.

 

How do you become an industry leader?

You showcase your knowledge and expertise. Through social media, local events and other media opportunities, you bring out your expertise and tell the public what makes you number one. As your expertise grows, so does your brand’s awareness, leading to a strong presence within your community.

 

Boost Operations with Marketing Partnership

Sometimes, what you have isn’t enough. And that’s fine. This is where agreeing to a marketing partnership can prove beneficial for your local business (https://growmemarketing.ca/venture-capital-calgary/).

By getting marketing experience from leading specialists, you can expand your operations and keep you competitive. You won’t be losing any money in the initial investment, save for the cut that the marketing agency will take. It’s also a better option than losing a business percentage with a venture capitalist or taking another bank loan.

Agreeing to a marketing partnership can be your way to success, as their expertise can help you expand your operations and local reach.

 

Build on Customer Referrals & Expand Your Base

There are two points to help you stay competitive: keeping your current customers happy and expanding to attract new customers. But you can use the former to bring in the latter.

Using referrals from your existing customer base, you can reach out to new customers, attracting their attention and turning them into followers. It’s a smart way to bring in new customers, without spending too much on reaching them.